


Black Hill Moments

by littlesolo



Series: Black Hill Prompts Collection [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-05
Updated: 2014-10-15
Packaged: 2018-02-19 22:37:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 40
Words: 14,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2405447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlesolo/pseuds/littlesolo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>More of the Black Hill Prompts!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Natasha talks in her sleep but Maria moves around and kicks a lot. It's a wonder either of them get any sleep.

It was a three day mission and Maria was already on site. It involved Steve, Sam, and Natasha joining Maria to bring the mission to a close.  

Due to the fact that they were on a mission instead of the fact that Sitwell was super cheap, they were staying and sleeping on the cargo plane. The first night Sam and Steve discover that Natasha talks in her sleep. Even more alarmingly she seemed to be arguing with them in her dream. All they could really tell was that they were epically wrong an it was making her madder and on the verge of violence.  

The second night Natasha had to watch the mark but Maria was staying in the plane. Steve and Sam were constantly worrying she was going to fall out of her hammock with how much she tossed and turned. Sam tried to adjust the sides so they were higher and keep her in, but had nearly gotten kicked for his trouble. She did that too. Kicking. He and Steve seriously wondered how the two of them got any sleep. And then they avoided eye contact for a while.  

On the trip home, Maria and Natasha fell asleep next to each other. There wasn’t any talking or tossing and turning. Apparently they were nervous habits that only existed when they were apart. It was silently agreed that Maria and Natasha should always sleep together.  

Followed by another bout of no eye contact with each other.  


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Could you write Black Hill looking after Skye and making sure she doesn't hurt herself/do anything self destructive because she's upset that Simmons left. Natasha being gentle with her and Maria being strict because she wants Skye to be safe.

Natasha could see Skye’s point of view but she could also see Maria’s. However, at the moment all the hacker cared about was Simmons and how not only had she left, but it looked like she didn’t want to be found.  

”Why— well I know why but how could she not keep in some sort of contact? I mean I thought Coulson was lying at first about not hearing from her” continued Skye for what seemed to be the hundredth time while Maria and Natasha were waiting for Trip to come get her from their current undisclosed point.  

"I’m sure she has her reasons. At the moment it doesn’t matter. You should be focusing on your missions" said Maria as she watched the horizon. She went upstairs again to get a better view. Ever since Phil had had his little chat with Talbot and included his aircraft, she’d been nervous and on edge.  

"Grumpy much?" muttered Skye. Natasha smirked.  

"Talbot brings her in front of the committees when Phil does something, you know. She has to answer for all your actions even though we can’t even get an email, much less a phone call from Phil. It’s a lot of pressure. But I know that while she meant a lot to Fitz, she meant a lot to you too." Skye gives Natasha a startled look before looking down at the straps on her pack again.  

"Not what I meant, but it explains why you’re taking it so hard. I only know Jemma from around Stark Tower, but she’s looking out for her friend. Her best friend that she’s been side by side with through everything since the academy. She’s probably trying to figure out who she is without Fitz…and overthinking if she’s still as smart without him" reasoned Natasha. Skye could see that, but it didn’t make her miss her any less. It did make her cut her some slack though. She’d had some time like that herself after joining the group. It wasn’t easy. Maria came most of the way down and took a seat on the steps.  

"How come Fury didn’t make you Director?" asked Skye, the question bugging her forever. She loved Coulson, but Hill had been next in line. Maria sighed, maybe explaining to the agent while she was still young would help her later.  

"Because I’m a soldier. The moment SHIELD fell, my job was to get a position where I could try and protect any of SHIELD’s remaining secrets and salvage any of our tech and artifacts and other essentials that I could. I could best do that from Stark Industries since they were the independent contractors the government picked to deal with the SHIELD/HYDRA clean up. With that came keeping secrets and testifying. Phil may not like all our secret keeping, but it’s necessary" explained Maria.  

"Oh yeah? What secrets could still be so important after Black Widow uploaded everything to the internet?" argued Skye, not liking the fact that they disagreed with Coulson and the fact that no secrets was what Rising Tide had been all about.  

"How about the fact that the Winter Soldier that saved Steve is a brainwashed Bucky Barnes who doesn’t know who he is? If the public gets wind of that, it won’t matter that he was one of the Howling Commandos or that he was Steve’s best friend or even the fact that he doesn’t remember. All people will remember is the news footage of him shooting cars and buses full of innocent civilians.  Or the fact that Phil isn't dead" Maria rubbed her face in an effort to wake herself up a bit more. This was hour - she didn’t even remember but it was more than 42 that she’d been awake. Skye really looked at her and saw the toll it was taking on her. The tenseness about her shoulders, her look of absolute exhaustion.  

"Look, I know it might seem like I’m being hard on you, but I need you and May to be there for Phil. His little display of force? I don’t know what that means for the rest of us. Does it mean HYDRA will attack Stark Tower to make a point? Will Talbot throw me in jail out of spite? If I was in Phil’s position I probably would have done exactly the same thing, but right now there are too many things going wrong for me to know how it will play out on my end. I was more than happy to get Hartley and her team mate the funerals they deserved. It wasn’t a problem. I’m not saying I’d make a better director or know how to handle things any better, but with Phil still figuring things out on his end, I need him to have all the support he’ll need, even if he doesn’t know it. I’m figuring things out on my end too but I have Natasha and Pepper. I don’t want Phil to be there without a net because this is going to get bad before it gets better."  

Skye could see all of Maria’s points and why Fury had made her his second. She also saw that Maria was right. Simmons was one of the smartest people she’d ever met and would figure things out, right now Coulson needed her while he tried to do the same. Maria pressed the earpiece on her head and authorized a landing and motioned Skye forward. Natasha gave her shoulder a squeeze and wished her luck. It looked like her ride home was here.  


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pepper's treating Maria to a much deserved and overdue vacation. 3 days off at a spa/resort where Pepper will also be attending, she deserves it too. The Avengers (esp. Tony & Nat) reassure them both that they'll be okay and won't cause any trouble. After they leave, that promise is so broken. Pepper is none the wiser when they come back, they've done a good job cleaning up the mess and JARVIS has deleted all records of their misdoings. Maria is trained on bs detecting, and there's a shit ton

Well it had been relaxing while it had lasted but now that she was back, Maria felt more in her comfort zone and on her game.  

”Nice shave Tony, but it still doesn’t cover the singe marks by your ear” started Maria as she went to stand in the center of the room and evaluate the damage. Pepper had zeroed in on Tony’s face and then narrowed her eyes at him. It had only been Three. Damn. Days.  

Judging by how many shot glasses had been replaced, Clint had been doing target practice with them.  

"Losing the vodka must have caused some discomfort" Maria added, noticing the new bottle. It had to be new because after a three day vacation with the guys, more than half would be gone and only about a fourth was missing. Maria bet Natasha made up for the loss by giving the others hell.  

Well, at least it was Stark Tower and not her home. Maria had made a point of keeping a residence nearby (a block away actually) with Natasha due to incidents like this more than attacks against Stark.  


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After watching 'Her', I want someone to prank Tony and replace the JARVIS voice with Nat's and Tony's all confused. Is it his AI or is it really Nat?! Who the hell is good enough to hack JARVIS?! (It was Skye). He's so freaked out by a bubbly, funny, giggily Agent Romanoff.

However it’s also doing a mixture of driving Maria crazy and freaking her out.  

Having Natasha’s voice ask her what floor she’d like and would she like her to let Miss Potts know she’s coming? Without Natasha actually here in the elevator with her to have fun with, it was torture. When she was with her though, it was like having a kitten that didn’t want to be put down.  

Natasha was developing a sense of paranoia. A voice that sounded frighteningly like hers had replaced JARVIS and was…. _cheery and happy_.  

Clint went and sought out Skye when he noticed Nat developing a twitch under her left eye. Skye could see the many downsides to one of the best SHIELD assassins having a nervous breakdown and replaced JARVIS.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Agent Romanoff, there are things in my repertoire that not even you know. That flour incident? Not even --" "Wait, are you giving me the shovel talk Coulson?" "If Maria is --" "You think I merit the shovel talk? So you think that we're together in the long run then? Really? I have to tell Maria!" "Wait, Natasha I haven't even finished my speech yet!" "Sorry sorry, continue." "As I was saying..."

"Wait, wait, wait. I can’t help but think that if you’re going to threaten to kill me, I probably know some much more effective methods. Also, you’re wirery, but come on Phil" interjected Natasha again.  

"Agent Romanoff…" sighed Phil as he rubbed the space between his eyes.  

Having Phil thinking that they’d last was more than encouraging. Phil had had his cellist, but he knew the life he’d signed up for and never had much hope for himself, despite having done the near impossible and already found love.  

Natasha had been told love was for children from the time she still was one. Although, according to Red Room the moment she ceased being a child the moment her training began. She had told it to herself so many times that she’d nearly talked herself into a transfer request to get over her infatuation with the Assistant Director.  

Learning that her feelings were returned had been something she hadn’t seen coming at all. Especially since she had found out about it from a frustrated Sharon who she accidentally bumped into.  

"Oh no, you to get to figure out your feelings for each other and how to tell each other about them all by yourselves" stated Sharon before backing away and on down the hall.  

Natasha realized that she’d just missed everything Phil had just said and that he’d just picked up on that too, given his heavy sigh.  

"Sorry Phil. I’m sure it was all very threatening in your own unique way, but I have to go meet Maria now. I’ll tell her you’re looking out for her though!"  

Phil Coulson was beginning to understand the exasperation that Nick always got when dealing with the Avengers.  


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Agent Hill, Natasha's like a sister to me, and I know you'll do your utmost to do her right by but --" "Hang on. Steve, you're not giving me the shovel talk are you?" "I ... uh... maybe?" "You do realize I'm your superior?" "Not anymore, SHIELD's gone." "And you also know that's not true. But I'm sure Natasha will appreciate the sentiment." "Wait, you're gonna tell her?" "Of course." "Can we leave out the part where I tried to threaten you?" "But that's the most hilarious part."

Maria didn’t even make it through the whole story. Natasha’s smirk turned into a grin which transformed into a smile that just kept getting wider and wider as Maria went on until she couldn’t hold back her laughter anymore. Steve stood near by and ran his hand through his hair while his face turned six shades of red. Sharon was doing her best to smother her laughter into a pillow, but it was only slightly muffled. Natasha literally falling out of her chair didn’t stop her laughter either.  

"I’m…..I’m……I’m……so glad…you see me like …….a sister Steve. You- you know I’m like your big sister though, right?" said Natasha between giggles.

Steve nodded to humor her, but then wondered if she was actually serious.

I mean, he was older right?

Right?

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria has the flu and Natasha goes into overprotective caring girlfriend mode, doing everything she can to make Maria feel better. Maria finds it very endearing and adorable.

Maria had never been doted on this way before. She was so used to taking care of herself, that at first she’d been very restless not being able to help. Not that she had the energy to anyway.  

Natasha had seen to her having a warm bath and doing her hair without drowning and then drying her off before making her a nest on the bed. Making sure Maria had her favorite hoodie on. The one that was worn in all the right places and kept the warmth from escaping. She also had her stuffed animal. Although she felt far too oversensitive to have him pressed to her skin, she has him next to her pillow.  

Natasha has tea and chicken noodle soup that is still warm sitting on a tray on the small table next to her. The sheer number of kleenex she’s gone through would be alarming if it wasn’t for the trash bag that Natasha had placed next to her. The laptop next to her had a number of movies ready to play but at the moment Maria was too tired to follow a plot and was happy watching Natasha sleep in the overstuffed chair at the end of the bed.  

The assassin had been running around all day making sure Maria was comfortable and well cared for. Maria would have been fine with a pillow and tissue box but watching her girlfriend care for her to the point of exhaustion was both touching and adorable.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BlackHill proposal, ala HIMYM where one of them starts to ask and the other keeps saying yes before the question is finished? You can choose who proposes to whom.

They weren’t on top of Stark Tower. They weren’t on top of Sharon’s building or even in New York or DC.  

They were in New Mexico on top of the old radio station that had been turned into Jane Foster’s state of the art research station. It had been gutted of nearly everything when the military seized control, but Maria and Natasha were watching the place until the morning when Jane and Darcy would return with the equipment they had started with.  

Right now, they were on the roof, bundled in jackets and blankets and sitting in yellow plastic lawn chairs, under the stars.  

Well, Maria was.  

Natasha was kneeling in front of her with a ring.  

"Maria Hill, you-"  

"Yes."  

"You don’t even know what I’m asking" states a slightly exasperated Natasha.  

"You could be asking for a blue raspberry slushy and my answer would still be yes, but I don’t think that’s the case with that ring you’re holding" replies Maria, her eyes shining and smile bright. She looks as beautiful as Natasha has ever seen her and she’s momentarily distracted by that.  

"Maria Hill, you’ve helped-"  

"Yes."  

"God dammit Hill! I spent a long time trying to write this stupid thing and then memorize it so that I can say it to get you to say yes!"  

"I already said yes. Multiple times, if there was any lingering doubt" says Maria as she pulls Natasha to join her in her chair from her crouched position. They share a deep kiss and Natasha burrows closer and loops her arm around Maria’s as she takes her hand and places the ring on it. The ring is a simple metal band but seems unusually shiny.  

"What’s it made out of?" asks Maria, curious but not really caring. She’s not taking it off any time soon. And it fits perfectly.  

"Titanium. It’s from your Helicarrier. Your important, Maria Hill. Not just to me, but to the world and that Helicarrier was your ship. I know that. Don’t let HYDRA minimize your success or role in everything, because we all still need you. Especially me. Well, _especially_ me, but for more selfish than patriotic reasons. But it’s also practically unbreakable which is a bonus, given the situations we find ourselves in. And it’ll be like us- and you can’t tell anyone I said that because it was really sappy" Maria had tears in her eyes, her ring seeming to shine even brighter as she pulled Natasha closer.

In a little while she’d have to complain of trouble breathing, but Natasha could hold out a while.

She was just pleased that she of all people was able to make Maria Hill this happy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nat breaks something of Maria's and tries to hide it from her.

It was an accident. But it was also that thing that Maria had gotten from her good friend, that professor in Cairo before all of the chaos started in Egypt.  

So, Natasha had spent two hours trying to put the thing back together since it actually meant something Maria and wasn’t just something picked up in the duty free shops at the airport. Short of calling Bruce or Tony for help, she couldn’t figure it out. Bruce was probably busy, she vaguely remembered there being a big thing going on with him today, and there was no way she was calling Tony.  

She’d call Jane Foster, but she was out of the country at the moment and even if it wasn’t for the time difference, Natasha had a feeling it would take more than a webcam to fix this.  

Normally, Natasha was great at fixing things. She could hack into any computer, break into anything by getting by their security. The thing was that in those cases she knew how something was supposed to work and found a way around it. In this case, she didn’t remember what the thing had looked like to begin with and it didn’t really do anything so there was no help there.  

Seeing as how she wasn’t going to fix this tonight, she decided to stash it and then smuggle it in to work and get the lab techs to fix it. She put it in the drawer with the photo albums and managed to make it to the couch just as Sharon and Maria walked through the door.  

"No problem, I’m sure I still have that photo" assured Maria as she went right to the drawer Natasha needed her NOT to go to.  

"Thanks. If Aunt Peggy just sees all of our faces in one photo I have a feeling she’ll stop thinking that we’re fighting or something" explained Sharon.  

Maria simply set the broken pieces of the thing aside and handed Sharon the album. Sharon waved goodbye to Natasha and left. Maria turned to the pieces and set them back in their proper places, fixing the structure.  It hadn't occurred to Natasha that it was a puzzle that had _multiple solutions_.  Although, it did explain the lack of corner pieces.  

"I always have loved this puzzle" said Maria absently before noticing Natasha staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing."  

"Did you think you broke it or something?" asked Maria, trying to think back. She knew she’d told Natasha who had given it to her, but she couldn’t remember if she’d told her it was a logic puzzle with multiple solutions. Natasha was currently refusing to look at her or the puzzle though and that made it really hard for Maria to quiet her small burst of laughter, having guessed what had happened.  

Natasha glared at her, but Maria took care of that with a quick kiss and then went to see what they could make for dinner.  


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria runs into a burning building to save a trapped child/teen/whatever. Natasha is beyond pissed with her for being so reckless.

Despite all of General Talbot’s recent press and all of the committee coverage, Maria Hill is being called a hero in the news. There had been a condemned building on fire that had been housing a bunch of homeless kids.  

One of the younger ones hadn’t made it out and had been trapped upstairs still and Maria had used her SHIELD training to get in and get him out. They had come out the back door having gone the back stairs where the smoke hadn’t been as bad.  

Of course when they reached his grateful and relieved friends, there was a news crew that had been called by one of the neighbors and had caught the incident. They had bothered to call, you know, the fire department.  

She had stayed with the kid until the paramedic had cleared him as being fine. The only thing she said to the news camera was that she was just glad she was able to help. The reporter picked up on her exhaustion and mercifully left her alone.  

Since then, every major news outlet had gone on to speculate as to what SHIELD training could involve and that clearly being in the position of Assistant Director didn’t mean that she stayed out of the field and that her skills were still sharp and so on. Maria was avoiding all the media coverage, having done what she would have done even if she wasn’t a SHIELD agent. She had been a soldier. She would think anyone would at least try to help.  

* * *

Natasha got back from her latest freelance mission and burst into the meeting Maria was currently in with Pepper.  

“ _What the hell were you thinking?!_ " yelled the Russian, startling both women in their seats.  

"You’re going to have to be more specific" started Maria.  

"Don’t be cute. You went into a building that was on fire? A condemned building! Which meant it wasn’t safe to begin with!" continued Natasha, her arms crossed and hard glare aimed at Maria.  

Pepper snuck out of the conference room while she still could. She watched as Natasha continued to go off, Maria letting her, knowing she had to get it out. She also saw Natasha pull Maria into a hug and sigh in relief. She knew the feeling. She felt the same way whenever Tony went off to join in the fight. This time the shoe was on the other foot though, she supposed. Pepper was glad the two had found each other.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natasha sometimes misses Maria's field suit. It hugged her and accentuated her butt, which Nat loved to brush the back of her hand across when she could on the Helicarrier. Plus it was so easy to get Maria naked, just pull down the zipper and boobs! Now though, she struggles with buttons (she just rips the shirt in half, Maria always has a new shirt), and layers! Do you really need a coat, blazer, shirt, undershirt and bra?!

It turns out that Maria _doesn’t_ always have a new shirt.  

This is yet another reason Natasha misses Maria’s old uniform. She gets the whole professional thing. Natasha applauds how Pepper always looks sharp and fashionable yet totally on top of everything. She marveled at it while she worked with her undercover. Let her keep at it, she does it so well. Let Maria wear Stark Industries polo shirts and jeans for all she cared, just something that didn’t have so many layers and have a designer label.  

Because replacing them became an issue too. The fact that Natasha could do so quickly was a plus. The fact that she could because she stole them was not. Natasha didn’t see why Maria should be without a good suit or why her skills should go to waste. They just had to agree to disagree on that issue.  

She knew Maria missed them too but for more practical reasons, and really, who cared about practical? That’s all she wanted. Maria’s field suit that just had that zipper between them. Give it back please.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria's always been a target, she was/is the 2nd in command at SHIELD. But now that it's publicly known who she was, and the fact that everyone (thanks to the press) knows that the Avengers treat her like one of their own, the attacks have been more personal/concentrated. Their own govt wants to put Maria in a dank cell (the CIA tried to kidnap her once), and superhumans have targeted her. Maria shows everyone she's no damsel.

When the first threat came, Natasha was concerned. By the third personalized threat and second kidnapping attempt, she just sat back and left Maria to her own fun. Being the Assistant Director meant that you had to be on top of your game on all fronts at all times, and most people forgot this. Maria had top shooting marks, sparred with Natasha and Clint regularly, and had a brilliant tactical mind.  

The Assistant Director not only had to be prepared to take control in Fury’s absence, but also follow his lead. Both scenarios could lead directly into gunfire. Maria was able to adapt to any situation and utilize anything as a weapon. Since she’d started dating Natasha her arsenal had only increased. And then there was the sort of attack that wasn’t physical at all. Maria knew multiple strategies on that front and was only rivaled by Natasha and Sharon.  

HYDRA had put together a team of Grant Ward rejects with enhanced abilities to try and abduct Maria. The HYDRA logo tattoo on their arms or chests hadn’t exactly been subtle. The van had been found with the bodies sometime later. Natasha thought the stiletto heel through the eye was a nice touch. It looked like Maria had dislocated her thumb and then taken out the first guy with her heel as she got her hands free of the handcuffs. Then she’d taken care of the other two and the driver. Or at least that’s what she guessed from the photos May had sent her. Apparently, Coulson was less than pleased but really, what was she supposed to do? Let them take her? She knew that’s a play Phil might have done before he was director, but as the former Assistant Director and current SHIELD face before the cameras, Maria needed to make a statement. And she had. She and SHIELD wouldn’t go down without a fight and they were more than willing to give one even when the odds were against them. She’d never given the HYDRA drones a chance to use their enhanced strength or speed. Scrambling in a confined space, they’d lost the advantage.  

Natasha would always bet on her girl, no question.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria's escape is from the Hannibal tv series and similar to how Able Gideon escaped in season one minus the high heel.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "If you don't stop that right now I'm sending you on a 6 month excursion to Siberia."

The dog sits a few feet from Maria, tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth and ready to play, unafraid of Maria’s stern voice or hard glare.  

"Did you just threaten the dog with Siberia?" asks Natasha as she comes walking into Maria’s office.  

"He’s using his cute face to distract me from my paper work" complained Maria. At that moment came over and set his head on her lap. Her glare once again had no effect as he nudged her hand. She gave in, having always had a soft spot for dogs, and scratched his ears.  

He was a former military dog that was trained to respond to Dutch commands. He’d been with a former SHIELD agent who had been transporting sensitive intel to Stark Industries. The owner hadn’t made it and the dog was making himself at home at the office and at Stark Tower.  

Given Maria’s history with dogs, Natasha had made a point of staying close just in case Maria should feel overwhelmed, but so far she and the dog were doing fine. In fact, the dog had decided that Maria was his best friend and brought her all his toys and tennis balls and then slept at her feet.  

They learned his name was Tucker after a while, the issue being the intel more than the name on the dog’s collar and tags, and Maria’s calling him by name made his tail go nuts.  

He loved Natasha too, often placing his head in her lap or nudging her with a tennis ball to get her to play. Natasha wasn’t going to push though. If Maria wanted the dog, Natasha would wait for her to say so, otherwise Sam had mentioned that he would take him.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like Bear in POI


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'm not going on that thing and not even your puppy dog eyes can make me."

Not having SHIELD’s budget meant arranging different rides. But this was also the last meeting they had to go to before they were rewarded with a well earned four day break.  

Maria understood that even though she now worked for Stark Industries, she wouldn’t be able to use the jet all the time. That was fine. She had no problem riding coach. This however was a little cessna that looked like it had lost the fight with gravity more than once.  

"Maria, I’ll be on there with you, and you know that on the off chance that something should happen and you for some reason can’t manage it yourself, I’ll get you out of there and on the ground safely" assured Natasha. Natasha knew that while she might know more ways to kill a person than Maria, she had no doubt that the former Assistant Director knew how to survive a fall from 15,000 feet even if the plane didn’t have parachutes.  

"Don’t talk about off chances or odds before getting on a death trap, please. It’s not like we’ve been having the greatest luck lately" begged Maria as she strapped herself in.  

They made it to their destination in one piece, but the shaking of the plane had even Natasha unnerved enough to gripping Maria’s hand tight enough that if she wasn’t equally as scared, she’d be worried that she might break it. Most of Natasha’s fear came from the fact that since she was an experienced pilot herself, she knew none of the the shaking was due to turbulence.  

When they landed, they agreed that if the plane was ever that size again, they were going to wait for Tony to send a jet. The small plane stayed parked on the airstrip for the next two days undergoing sudden necessary repairs.  


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is Natasha's and Maria's first Valentine's day as a couple and Natasha has planned a grand and perfect night because she believes that's what Maria wants. However, nothing goes as planned and Natasha is upset that she ruined their first Valentine's day. Cue Maria saying that as long as they are together it is perfect.

As of right now, Natasha is back to hating Valentine’s Day.

She used to hate it due to all of the couples out and about acting faithful. Hated to break it to you, but Natasha’s undercover jobs would be so much harder if that were true.  

Then she’d met Maria. Now, yes they were in love, but they weren’t stupid. It wasn’t the love you see in anything related to Nicholas Sparks where love made people stupid. They loved each other passionately but still had common sense.  

Natasha had wanted to make a perfect Valentine’s Day dinner for them though. Not because she was excessively sappy, but because they could both use something nice. They deserved it every once in and while and the stupid holiday was a perfect excuse (Natasha still associated the word Valentine with St Valentine’s Day Massacre, so it was hard to see it as romantic at all sometimes).  

Romantic dinner. Natasha had gotten some groceries delivered but took the time to look at them before paying. The greens were slimey and the fish was thin. This resulted in an argument with the shop owner over the phone and him making some truly nasty remarks that had the young delivery boy wide eyed and shaking since he recognized her. She patted his shoulder and walked the two blocks back down to the store with him. She generously tipped him for his patience and service and then took the bag from him and went in and let the owner have it.  

Her other alternative was having a restaurant deliver but it was too late to do that without going through Pepper. Using her own pull was likely to get mixed reactions. The florist calling to tell her that their truck had been in an accident and couldn’t make the delivery didn’t help her mood.  

By the time Maria got home, every romantic comedy or movie that had anything to do with romance was pissing Natasha off. Which was why she was watching the latest Evil Dead remake. You couldn’t really get more anti Valentine’s Day than that.  

Maria took a wild guess as to what had happened, judging by the sulking assassin on the couch and the screams in 1080p, and sat down next to her lover with the bag she was carrying.  

"You know" started Maria, opening two heart shaped tin containers. "I really don’t care about Valentine’s Day." Natasha watched as Maria emptied multiple boxes of those little candy hearts with words on them into the containers, alternating so there was an even amount in both. "I mean I love you always, not just today, and if we happen to be together and not working late or on a mission, it’s an added bonus" explained Maria, handing one of the nearly full containers to Natasha. Natasha loved these candies as much as Maria did. Maria kissed her deeply before settling in and glancing at the rest of the movies they might watch tonight.  

"It is however, the only time of year where tomorrow the rest of these little hearts are 75% off in stores so we can go nab them in bulk." Natasha smiled, resting her head on Maria’s shoulder and snuggling into her side. Valentine’s Day did have it’s perks, she thought as she popped a few of the hearts into her mouth.  Because they were together and loved each other and it wasn't about words on the little hearts but the sugar they were made out of.  


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm imagining an intervention a la HIMYM with the Avengers sitting Natasha down about her clothes stealing tendencies.

"Natasha this is an intervention. About your clothes stealing" starts Steve.  

Yes, everyone had had something stolen by Natasha at one point or another, but only Steve thought this was a good and logical course of action. Natasha merely raised an eyebrow and sat on the arm of the couch.  

"We’d like our stuff back. Declaring it yours doesn’t make it so" explained Steve in a tone that made both Sharon and Clint wince.  

"You want them back? Come and take them" replied Natasha.  

"C’mon! You took the new blue hoodie I just bought that is super comfy!" whined Steve.  

"Because you got Maria’s favorite one all bloody" answered Natasha. Steve turned to glare at Maria.  

"What? Just because she took them doesn’t mean I get to wear them" said Maria.  

None of the others minded as much as Steve but that was in part because he was also constantly losing his clothes at Sharon’s too. She washed them for him and set them in a pile for him to take back to his place but he always seemed to miss seeing them. Still the amount between Natasha and Sharon was about even. Steve now owned about five pairs of jeans and three tees and one jacket. This was really a desperate attempt to keep him from needing to go shopping because then Clint and Tony would offer to help.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "No. Sit. No! If you do not sit I will castrate you!" "Babe you can't threaten what's already been taken." "Yea but he doesn't know that!"

Due to their busy schedules, Maria and Natasha shared Tucker with the others, but at the moment he was where he considered home.  

The fact that he was steadily approaching Maria with his favorite stuffed fox toy, meant that he was looking to cuddle and or snuggle. Maria was trying to get through the files she needed to before a big meeting tomorrow. At the moment she had the files spread out in front of her as she was sitting on the floor.  

Tucker hopped onto the couch and Maria forgot for a moment that he was there. Until he set his chin on her shoulder. Maria turned her head to glare at the dog and was met with a wet dog kiss on her forehead.  

Natasha giggled from her position at the other end of the couch.  

Maria wound up going over the last few files doing her best to ignore the puppy eyes that were gazing at her from the head propped on her thigh.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Is that my shirt?" "No." "You're not as good as a liar as you think you are Nat." "Answers still no." "Nat that's my favorite shirt!" "Mine." "Give it back." "No." "Come on." "You want me to give it back to you right now? In the living room where Stark can just walk in?" "You wearing a bra?" "Yes." "Shirt. Now." "But it's so comfy and it smells like you." "Why do you think it's my favorite?" "How about a time share?"

"A time sha- No. Give it! It’s my favorite because you won it for me! C’mon!"  

”Well, actually you just pointed that I have part ownership” said Natasha, making a show of making sure it was on her by pulling it snuggly on the sides.  

"How the-? No! You know what fine!" Maria then marched back into their bedroom. Natasha became slightly worried after there was no sound of Maria’s return. When Maria did return she was wearing Natasha’s prized Mars Volta tee.  

"HEY!" started in the red head.  

"Nope! Not a word! I’m wearing this one because it smells like you and I have the bonus memory of seeing you violently shove other patrons out of the way so you could get one of each before they were all sold out. Very impressive, since you didn’t bring any money but had more than enough to pay for the shirts" replied Maria. 

"Fine. Just remember I got one for you too! But only because I love you" answered Natasha as she settled back into her spot on the couch.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Romanoff..." "What you don't like it?" "It looks like spring threw up in my apartment." "So you don't like it?" "I never said I didn't...just...wow? No I like it Natasha!" "You're a terrible liar Hill." "Ok, fine, it's just surprising is all." "Phil said I needed to do something big for our anniversary." "I think he meant more of 1 bouquet of flowers, not 100." "It's not 100." "And our anniversary isn't til next month." "What? It's today!" "It's next month." "What timeline are you using?"

"I was figuring from when you got me out of Mozambique. I was cut off from all comms and you not only manage to figure out that I was in trouble but get me out without blowing my cover."  

Especially since Natasha had known Maria had still been on the Helicarrier when she was still in contact with her handler. Next thing she knew, there she was with the passenger door open telling her to get in. Natasha knew what they had was more than friendship for Maria to have risked getting in the middle of such a volatile situation just for her.  

Maria was wandering around the room, noting that the flowers were snap dragons, stargazer lilies, orchids, and hibiscus to name a few. All her favorites and not a single rose in sight. They both hated roses since they either came with thorns or were genetically engineered not to. Both versions had been referenced in jokes about them during every romantic holiday, and while the comments didn’t hurt their feelings they sometimes still felt too close to the truth.  

"I was thinking of when you went against orders and shadowed me in Mombasa" said Maria absently as she lightly touched the petals on one of the snapdragons, making it’s mouth open. She’d been double crossed, but she had expected that and planned for it. Playing both sides against each other they destroyed any assets they still had after Maria had gotten away with the ones she had come for. She knew Natasha was watching over her, the spider leaving signs in her room that she’d been there and that all Maria had to do was signal and she’d be there.  

If they were being truly honest though, it had started before either of those events and Coulson knew that of both of them. He knew that Maria killed a Red Room assassin that was after Natasha while she had been preoccupied with working undercover with Stark as Natalie Rushman. He also knew that Natasha had gotten herself assigned to any Bravo team that went as support on any high risk mission Maria went on. Since they traveled separately, there would be no reason for Maria to ever know.  

Maria did love all the flowers, although the sheer number of them was unexpected. She spread herself out on the couch and pulled Natasha on top of her and they remained cuddled next to each other until they were in need of something to eat. They’d keep the flowers another day before giving them to Aunt Peggy and letting them light up her room and letting the nurses care for them rather than coming home to eventually find them all wilted. Maria could not think of a better gift. Although they would have to agree on a date at some point.  


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PTSD

She’d brought Tucker just in case. She was glad she had.  

Phil had called her and she’d been able to get Hartley and her team mate the funerals they deserved along with their pay. She decided to do a walk by just to make sure everything went without a hitch. She spotted Phil doing his recruiting thing, it was nice to see him doing well. Funeral side was in poor taste, in her opinion, but it almost certainly would get him a yes.  

She was glad that was the only thing she saw. She knew Talbot had “allowed” this, but she wouldn’t have put it past him to inform the press. It was comforting to know that service to one’s country meant something to him, regardless of under what department one served.  

She walked on with Tucker until she reached another recent grave. His owner had given his life to bring them intel and had also received a proper burial. Sitting at his gravesite, Maria let her mind wander while Tucker pawed at the stone and whined once or twice before taking a seat next to her.  

She’d been to too many funerals for someone still in her early thirties. Honestly, she barely remembers the funeral of the fellow soldiers from her unit. She remembers the sun seeming far too bright even with her sunglasses on and a ringing in her ears while words about them were spoken. The ringing hadn’t stopped, but instead of the gun salute she heard the explosions from the attack. The stitches on her skin seemed to pull too tight and the scabs that were under bandages itched to be scratched and pulled off. Even the bomb dog that had been with them hadn’t made it. He had pulled her from the wreckage before the vehicle had burst into flame and then exploded.  

Maria had placed a calla lilly on each of her fellow soldiers coffins and placed the medal of bravery she had received on the dog’s. Her burned hand was bandaged but it still hurt to move her fingers but he deserved the medal more than she did. She didn’t even remember grabbing the case they’d recovered earlier and clutching it to her chest as she tried to get out. The dog had pulled her free of the flames. She idly had wondered who got his flag.  

Tucker stood at attention, ready to protect her from a possible attack but then began to wag his tail at the sight of Sam Wilson. Sam watched Maria as she was lost in her memories, but as she shivered and dug her nails into her palms, he realized that to a certain extent she was reliving them. Sam made a hand motion to Tucker, prompting him to bark and jarring Maria from her thoughts. He then took a seat in the grass next to her.  

"Natasha’s was worried" he mentioned casually.  

"Just stopped by Hartley’s funeral like I said I would" sighed Maria, sometimes her assassin worried too much.  

"That was four hours ago, Maria." Or maybe that worry was well placed.  

Maria raised her eyebrows in surprise and turned to look at Sam and then Tucker.  

"Is she close?"  

"Waiting in the car. I’ll drive yours back with Tucker if you want" offered Sam. Maria took him up on his offer and made plans to meet him for coffee the next morning. For now, she was going to curl up with her favorite red head.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Don't you have that thing? with the thing? That thing you were supposed to do? The thing?" "Maria did you knock your head when I wasn't looking?" "No, cause you have that thing to go to, that thing that is supposed to be tonight for that thing." "You're not making any sense." "Romanoff go do your thing." "You been to medical yet?" "No! I don't need to, just go do the thing!"

Natasha is on her way to go see what Jane and Darcy are up to when she gets a call from a polite Pepper wonder why the hell she isn’t on her way to the Children’s Banquet! Oh. _That_ thing. Shit. Finding Sharon just as she’s about to leave, she begs for a lift and changes into her dress in the car. She’d grabbed a pair of heels on the way out and fashions her hair into an elegant twist. She is just finishing her make up and ignoring Sharon’s look of envy at how it only took her a car ride to get ready when they pull up.  

She remembers now, and is finding it extra fortunate that she’s with Sharon since the money is going to children that were in severe pain due to their ailments. Whatever medical problem they had, had progressed to the point where even the most powerful of pain meds didn’t have much effect. Natasha visited them at least once a week, more if her schedule allowed for it. She’d been around such children before but she’d been much younger then and the circumstances had been much different. This time though there was something she could do.  

It was also a place that doctors sometimes got drunk and spoke a little too freely about their opinions. Natasha could make herself the center of attention or part of the background and used this opportunity to decided which doctors would suddenly find themselves working elsewhere.  

Natasha never saw herself as the maternal type, although Maria disagreed, so she did what she could for children in general. She focused on orphans and those who had been experimented on. She knew what it was to have no one to speak for you and with SHIELD gone, she doubted they would get the second chance she’d been given.  

With the names of four doctors who would soon be looking for other work, she let Sharon and Pepper know she was going and took a cab home. She found Maria asleep on the couch, undoubtably having tried to wait up for her.  

 _That thing_. Natasha let out a soft smile. That’s what she called the banquet every year, not wanting to let on how important it really was to her. She had a feeling Maria knew anyway, but like with everything else, Maria didn’t press her for details. She knew Natasha would tell her when she was ready. Natasha finally felt that she was, and didn’t really know why she’d waited all this time. Slipping off her heels, she carried Maria to their bed where she then removed her dress and joined her. She’d tell her first thing in the morning.


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Natasha and Steve visit the local children's hospital or orphanage (if the children's hospital is a little close to home for Nat) a lot to tell the kids stories about their adventures. One day, when Steve cancels and Maria has the day off, Natasha takes her along. Maria thinks it's adorable how all the kids love Natasha.

Natasha doesn’t go dressed as Widow. At the moment she couldn’t look less like her. In an effort to keep a low profile, Natasha has dyed her hair blonde and Maria has shortened hers but is growing it back out (at Natasha’s request). She’d only cut it in hopes to distract herself from the fact that all the court appearances were causing her to loose handfuls of hair in the shower.  

Here though, in a pair of jeans, a tee, and…wait…yes, (sigh) one of Maria’s hoodies again, she could be anyone. The children weren’t thrown for a second. All the medical equipment and various states of failing health would be quite jarring if it weren’t for the smiles that immediately lit up their faces at the sight of Natasha. She hugs them all, even though the nurse had cautioned against it, at the risk of catching something since all the children’s immune systems were so weak and they tended to catch everything. They weren’t worried.  

Natasha introduces her as her best and closest friend and all the children waive hello. Natasha lets them in on a secret and tells them how she used to be her boss, and for some reason, this is found to be rather impressive. Most of the children are still mobile and there are only about twelve in the room, but there are two that aren’t and she picks the bed with the young girl named Judy to sit with and the others crowd around, despite whatever pain moving might cause them, while Natasha sits with Davy.  

Natasha tells them stories of their adventures but not the kind one would expect. She tells them of walking through khan el khalili in Egypt with Sharon, of Clint trying and not liking some of the local food in Mongolia and how she didn’t think she would have enjoyed the sheep’s eye either, but he wasn’t supposed to bite down on it. The resounding “EWWW!” made them both laugh in a way that Maria hadn’t in a long time and had almost forgotten how. There were no tales of heroes or villains or battles and gunfire.  

There are stories about how Maria had to find Steve in India because he’d gotten lost in the market with the map and how Tony Stark always insisted on controlling the music when he came along, even if no one else liked his kind of music. These were all told with exaggerated facial expressions and hand motions. The lighter side of SHIELD missions that wasn’t often reflected on.  

The nurse eventually comes in and said they had to go amid the protest of all of Maria’s new friends. Natasha promised that she’d be back soon, and with new stories. Maria was unprepared for the tug at her sleeve for the little boy named Zach.  

"You’ll come back too, right?" Maria nods while she finds her voice.  

"Yeah, I’ll come back too." Natasha smiled at her and entwined their fingers as they waived goodbye and walked down the hall.  

Natasha waited until the elevator doors had closed before pulling Maria close and feeling her tears on her neck.  

"How many of them will be there next week?" asks Maria brokenly.  

"I don’t know. There might even be some new faces" answered Natasha.  

Maria makes sure to have some stories ready for their next visit.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Nat & Maria aren't together yet). Darcy declares Nat & Maria her OTP and the UST is so thick she can cut it with a knife. Maria just stares and looks up those terms later while Tony is cackling in the background. Clint pouts and says he thought him and Bobbi were her OTP! Nat disappears when they're arguing. So it wasn't her imagination, she's got a lot of work to do.

Clint and Darcy are arguing so loudly that it almost covers up the sound of Tony choking on his drink, having laughed so hard. Natasha gives his back a slap on her way out of the room. When she saw Maria stare at Darcy and then say “I have no idea what the hell you just said” she thanked Thor for small favors.  

She makes herself comfortable in one of the couches by the large widows in one of the other rooms. If there’s one thing Stark Tower doesn’t have a shortage of, it’s large windows. Normally, Natasha would avoid them, but after what happened to his other house, Natasha takes comfort in the fact that these windows will hold up to pretty much any attack except the ones they’ll have more than enough fair warning about.  

She can still hear her little makeshift family arguing a few rooms over. She doesn’t really know what else to call them, but Darcy was right about one thing. The feelings she’s been having for Maria are definitely not familial. While knowing it wasn’t all in her head was nice since she’d been driving herself slowly insane, having Darcy state it so eloquently meant she now had to do something about it like come up with a plan. Preferably, before Maria looked up what those terms meant.  

That was the problem of course. Give her a mark, and it came with a file and loads of background on the person. She knew exactly how to play them. Except that Maria was a lot like herself, very thorough and very job oriented. Also, she doesn’t want to play Maria, she wants this to be an actual real thing. But like she told Steve, she’s use to being who people want or need her to be.  

She doesn’t know what that would be for Maria, the woman being so capable and self sufficient already. But she does seem lonely. And tired. Great. What’s she supposed to do, ask her out on a date for a _nap_?  

Natasha lets out an aggrivated groan. Clearly, this was going to require more thought. And maybe Jane’s help. Natasha got up and went in search of her friend before she thought of something else stupid.  


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darcy is frustrated. Seriously when is her OTP getting together?! Natasha and Maria have been giving each other such heated looks after her blurting out they should get ito n already but nope they are still not! Nat looks like she's fumbling and let me tell you, it's the weirdest thing ever to see the sex assassin flirting awkwardly. Probably doesn't help that Maria has no idea Nat is flirting with her. Geez, it's up to Darcy to get those 2 together. She needs to get paid more.

"Do I get a raise if I get Natasha and Maria together and stop us from having to watch this horribly awkward show of awkwardness?" asks Darcy. Jane looks up from her books with a smile. It has been awful to watch at times, the on goings of a possible something between Natasha and Maria.  

Maria seems to always be just on the verge of believing Natasha is being serious and is actually romantically interested in her, before shaking herself out of it and going back to whatever she was doing. Natasha sees this, and loses whatever confidence she had and retreats. At first it was sad in it’s own way, but now it’s like watching two magnets zoom away from each other. How is it that someone with as much sex appeal and knowledge of how to use her allure not be able to ask someone out on a date?  

Or better yet, how is it that two of the most intelligent and capable women in the world not be able to pick up on the fact that the attraction is mutual and act on it?  

It baffles the mind.  


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's offended Natasha went to JANE for dating advice before she went to her! Who's the love guru of their mismatched family here?! Gosh, no wonder Maria has no idea Nat is trying to ask for a date.

Darcy throws open the door to Maria’s Stark Industries office and slams it shut behind her. It’s time to get shit done. ”Preston, let me call you back” says Maria before hanging up her phone.  

 _Whoops._  

"Okay, SHIELD boss lady, here’s the deal. Natasha has been trying to ask you out. For some reason though every time she tries, she forgets how words work or something. I blame it on the fact that she went to Jane to advice instead of me. Anyway, do something about it please, because I need a raise." And then Darcy Lewis was gone again and Maria was letting what just happened sink in. Natasha wanted to ask her out. Had been trying to. Well, she’d like to go on a date with Natasha, so they needed to move this along.  

* * *

 

A knock on her door stopped Natasha from dwelling on the fact that she’d failed yet again to ask out Maria, all twelve times she’d tried today. Looking through the peep hole, she wondered what possible urgent mission couldn’t wait until morning. She opened the door to reveal Maria Hill with a bag of Chinese food.  

"I’m betting you haven’t eaten yet. Mind if I join you?" asked Maria with an adorable smile.  

Natasha opened the door wider and showed her in.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria/Natasha + Sharon = When Sharon gets upset or feels overwhelmed, she likes to cuddle with either one of the girls (whichever isn't busy) and have her hair played with until she falls asleep. Maria thinks it's because she never learnt how to deal with emotions as a child so she shuts down if something gets too much.

Steve is….You know no one knows where the hell Steve is. It’s why Sharon’s on their couch though instead of his. Just because he’s still getting used to the new era doesn’t mean he can’t use one of the eight iPhones he has. All of the Avengers as well as Pepper, Maria, Phil, Sharon, Sam, Bucky, and the kid that lives on the first floor have gotten him a cell phone at one point or another, would it kill him to use one of them?  

Natasha has learned that combing her fingers through Sharon’s hair helps calm the agent down. She was very much like a cat in this way, but Natasha had always likened her to an ocelot in her mind. Not the biggest jungle cat, but still lethal. And a predator.  

Natasha had discovered the secret of her hair being the key to relaxing her when she’d come home and found Sharon crying on their couch. She’d undoubtably been hoping for Maria. The worst part was that these weren’t those loud sobs or whimpering ones. Although grating and irritating, Natasha could handle those. No these were those quiet ones where tears fell silently. The kind that tied Natasha’s stomach into knots because they were real and she didn’t know what to do to make them stop.  

She’d figured it out though. While any week in their lives was a tough week, with or without SHIELD, Sharon also had Aunt Peggy and her legacy, Steve being gone and not having had a chance to clear the air with him, and searching for a lost Winter Soldier. While there was logic in thinking his handlers had taken him back to Russia, Barnes had acted on his own when he’d saved Steve and Sharon figured since the museum had it’s own little shrine to the Howling Commandos, not to mention it’s monument to Steve, Barnes would stay local to find out his past. Of course, should she find Barnes, she’d just have to keep him from the military, convince him he was safe, and figure out how to get word to Steve somehow.  

Natasha could see how just half of that would have anyone in tears, but like her adopted sister Maria, Sharon was an extraordinary woman. And like Maria, she pushed herself until she simply couldn’t go any further. The usual release of the SHIELD gym and training room would either get you on youtube or arrested in even the most private and elite civilian gyms. Having the rest of your world crumble around you didn’t help either.  

So here was Natasha, stroking Sharon’s hair as her tears steadily stop, suddenly struck by the fact that what she’s doing is offering comfort.

Huh.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AU. Where Maria hasn't met BW yet, and Fury sends BW in to shadow/protect Maria cause of recent but viable threats (after she got promoted). He had to do it in subterfuge or else Maria would probably shoot his foot. She's more than capable of defending herself, but he see's no harm in some extra help. Plus, he needs to see if BW is good enough to foo l Maria.

This isn’t turning out to be the fluff assignment she’d accused Fury of giving her. At this rate, Natasha would actually owe the man an apology. On the positive side Maria Hill was one impressive individual. Not just physically, although she was on that front too. Natasha actually worked up a sweat when trailing along after the Assistant Director on her runs.  

Natasha was working hard at ignoring her attractiveness, since it had no bering on the mission, but that was proving difficult as she learned more about this woman.  

Natasha wasn’t one to be easily impressed, but Maria Hill had the intelligence to match her ranking. Although Fury hadn’t told her of the threats, (a mistake on his part in Natasha’s opinion) she must have expected some because she was taking additional defensive measures.  

It was more than just training. Training meant you could follow the steps from a manual but it didn’t guarantee that you’d stay alive in the field. Maria Hill had more than training and she didn’t mean how she has a brilliant tactical mind, although that certainly can’t be ignored, but she’s referring to how she had to switch to surveillance from a height because Hill nearly caught her on three separate occasions. She’d been disguised, but now having a better sense of who she was dealing with, she wasn’t taking any chances.  

Like why she was using a handheld digital telescope rather than binoculars or a more accurate scope. The last thing she needs is to do her job and be met with gunfire. But Hill doesn’t strike her as the jumpy sort or the type to shoot first - at least not without a clear shot and with so many civilians around.  

* * *

Natasha loses her in a crowd outside a dinky coffee shop two days later right as Maria went to toss away her coffee. She got up to follow from the side rather than sit and hope she shows up again. Then there’s an arm around her throat and a gun in her side and she’s being tugged into an alley. It’s New York and everyone is too busy to notice. Also, it’s not like she needs their help. She takes note of the pull down fire escape overhead. She can use it to break their arm and fracture their skull and getaway. A two for one combo.  

"Fury put you on this detail, didn’t he? Who are you?"  

Looks like Maria Hill won’t be all that hard to find after all.  

"Nice to finally meet you, Maria Hill. Natasha Romanoff. For what it’s worth, I told Fury to inform you of the threats. Also, that you’d spot a detail." She’s let go and turns around only to see a pair of fierce blue eyes glaring at her.  

She’s going to be trouble, but then again, she never was attracted to boring.  


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "A week Agent Romanoff, I'm impressed." "Impressed?" "Agent Ward got found out in less than an hr." "Did you just compared me to Ward? Sir, he's not even in the league below me." "Agent Hill has your next assignment, dismissed." "Sir, she doesn't have anymore protective details." "You and I both know Agent Hill can take care of herself, It's in your report. And she did break your wrist." "Fractured."

It had just been a fracture, and a minor one at that. It had been a warning and Natasha had respected that, but all the crap she was getting from Clint and now Fury for it, that respect was now turning into irritation. The comparison to a rookie that had only made agent status a _week_ ago wasn’t helping.  

"Sir, just because she’s capable and I was found out doesn’t mean the threat is gone. She is still a high value target."   

Fury paused in his motions at his desk. If Widow was bringing up these concerns to him, despite her evaluation of Maria’s skill, then the threat was still viable. Having been one of the world’s larger threat’s herself, he trusted her analysis.  

"Fine, but fall back some. It may save you some additional injury. Dismissed."


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Are you stalking me Agent Romanoff?" "No ma'am." "There's no official protective detail on me. So unless this is Fury's orders not on the record, which I've already explained I don't need, you are stalking me. Which is it Agent Romanoff?"

"I’ve been told my people skills need work. I figure the best way to improve would be by observation. Turns out you’re one of the better role models on this ship" replies Natasha. Maria still raises a doubtful eyebrow at her.  

"I don’t care. Find a different role model" says Maria before stalking off. Natasha follows right after her.  

"Would you pick the agents who stock junk food in their desk drawers rather than extra clips for their weapons or the ones who follow all the office gossip and think you’re sleeping with Fury but don’t know where the emergency exits are? The rest of them are all too green and I am **not** taking tips on _anything_ relating to social skills from Barton” comments Natasha, thankfully in a voice low enough to be heard only by Maria. Still, the face of absolute disgust Maria makes at the comment about Fury makes her bite her cheek to keep from laughing.  

Maria cuts her eyes towards the assassin, and it’s clear that she doesn’t buy her excuse for a second, but does believe everything Natasha has told her about the agents. Natasha wouldn’t put it past the woman to be considering asking her to kill them all so that they could be replaced by competent people. Natasha felt that was more of a second date request, but she’d do it if it got her a date to begin with.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Call off Romanoff, Coulson." "I didn't tell her to do anything." "She's been following me. Tell her to stop." "I have no control over what she does in her spare time Maria." "Then give her something to do, or I will." "Maria, you can't send her to the Bermuda Triangle for following you" "I can, if you don't do something about it" "I'll see what I can do"

"What are you doing Romanoff?"  

"Nothing"  

* * *

She was going to shoot Phil. Having Natasha waiting on the stoop to her apartment was _not_ an improvement.   

"It has come to my attention that you’re tired of my following you. Yes, part of it has been for fun, but also it’s been getting rid of the five idiots Talbot sent after you, the three snipers, and the twelve various others that refused to say who sent them. Coulson has them now, but I doubt he’s told you about them despite my urging him to. I did note the seven you took care of though. Nice use of a high heel. However, right now I’m not here on business. I’m here to ask you to dinner." Natasha then extended her arm to her.  

Maria blinked, processing everything she’d just learned and then took the arm offered to her and followed Natasha to where ever she was taking her. She’d known her life would be in danger and had figured that while she could fight them off, she would only last for so long. Sooner or later, she’d be dead. Knowing that Natasha hadn’t just been feeling as lost as she had but had been looking out for her gave her hope for SHIELD and warmed her heart.  


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Widow's gone" "Gone?" "She was surveying me on the roof and now she's gone, there were 4 other targets following me Coulson." "She's a capable agent, Maria" "I am aware of that, give me her status when you have it. Nevermind she's back. And tell her I'll take care of the straggler she left on the far side of the cafe. Also she has a cut on her eyebrow and to send a form to accounting to reimburse her watch"

Coulson isn’t sure what just happen. A few days ago Maria wanted the assassin gone. Now she wanted her reimbursed. He did it because the only other person that held a grudge like Melinda was Maria. And Maria wouldn’t shoot him fatally, but she would shoot him. And Melinda would let her once she explained. Explained that the people they were holding were assassins Widow had brought them that had come for her and he hadn’t told her. Any of it. So to avoid a possible permanent limp, he’d reimburse the Widow’s watch and messenger her some butterfly strips for her eyebrow.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Your cheekbones can cut glass" "Are you drunk Romanoff? How are you drunk?" "Tony said I couldn't keep up with him on 151, so we lined up 20 each." "Both of you drank 20 shots of 151 proof vodka?!" "No, only me! He stopped at shot 8! Ohhh your jawline is so kissable!" "Wait Romanoff!"

Maria hadn’t known it was possible for the assassin to get drunk, Barton having said it wasn’t due to the genetic experimentation or something. Her hands were on Natasha’s shoulders and trying to push her back but she had to admit, the red head was very talented and was hitting all the right places.  

Natasha showing up at her door wasn’t unexpected, it was happening more and more frequently now since they had become each other’s source of support after SHIELD had fallen.  

Nat showing up to be attacked with passionate kisses had been something she hadn’t seen coming. Natasha was currently working on the area where her neck met her collar bone, biting and then soothing it with her tongue. Maria found that her hands were deep in the red head’s curls, unsure of when they had gotten there. With a groan in her throat, she gripped Natasha’s face and pulled her back. Their foreheads were now resting together and Natasha saw this as an opportunity to go for her mouth. It was a true test of Maria’s will power that kept her from doing so. She wanted Natasha, but not like this. Most of all, given Natasha’s history, she didn’t want Natasha to feel taken advantage of and wanted things to happen when she felt ready. When she was sober.  

She guided her guest to her room and tucked her into her bed, leaving the light on in the bathroom. Being drunk, it was hard enough to make it to the bathroom much less in someone else’s home. Also, she had a feeling Natasha was still battered and bruised from being thrown from a car during a mission a few days ago. She’d bought the couch because it fit her and made a comfortable second bed anyway.  

* * *

When Maria woke the next morning, it was to Natasha sitting on the floor at the other end of the couch with a cup of coffee. She handed another one to Maria, made just the way she liked it. Maria enjoyed a few sips while Natasha watched her over the rim of hers.  

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Nothing happened" said Maria, reading the look on Natasha’s face.  

"You mean other that showing up and drunkenly making out with you?" asks Natasha as she squeezes her eyes shut and presses her coffee mug to her forehead. Maria is now sitting up and sipping from her mug.  

"Nothing I honestly wouldn’t mind happening when you were sober, but I was so exhausted from my day last night, that I can forget it happened and start over, if you’d like. Minus the vodka" says Maria, managing her embarrassment by not looking at Natasha but when she does, she finds the red head blinking at her in surprise followed by rapid nodding that makes her look adorable.  

"At eight tonight?" asks Natasha, seemingly still unsure this is a real offer.  

"See you then" agrees Maria. Natasha sets her mug on the counter and all but flies out of the apartment. Maria would be offended if the assassin hadn’t looked so excited. For now though, she’s going to get a little more sleep and then a shower.  


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's waiting for some grade A PDA from her OTP, but nothing is happening! She's pissed! Srsly does she have to lock them in a room or something? She's plotting in her head until she goes backto her room to find a bunch of presents on her desk and 2 thank you notes. The next day she notices the covert 'fuck me' stares and hand brushing. Darcy claps gleefully and waits for the rest of the team to catch on. It's so nice to share a secret with Black Widow & Agent Hill. 
> 
> \-------SEXUAL CONTENT------

For the record, Natasha does have a bed. Sometimes they even make it all the way there, but for the most part it is used for sleeping, and morning sex. They’ve made it through the door, but Maria is immediately pushed against it and works free of her suit jacket and is starting on her shirt. Natasha’s lips are still attached to hers and her hands have been under her shirt since half way down the hall. Her bra is off but the buttons are proving to be problematic. Shaking hands will do that. Natasha takes care of it though, for once actually undoing the buttons since Maria is running low on work shirts.  

They’ve stumbled over past the couch but missed the bedroom doorway and gone into the kitchen. The granite countertop feels especially cool beneath Natasha’s thighs and she’s pushing against the tile backsplash with one hand to get closer to Maria’s mouth while the other hand entangles itself in her lush hair.  

Sex has always been more of a tool for Natasha to use against people, as a temptation and a last resort on missions. It never held much pleasure for her but when she wasn’t on duty and went searching for a partner it was more about a release than actual enjoyment. Fulfilling a need.  

With Maria she learned what sex could really be, what it was when two people cared about each other. Maria cared about her needs as much as her own. She reached highs that surpassed anything she’d experienced on missions. She couldn’t explain the curling of her toes, the feeling in her abdomen, the way her chest got tight, or the release that left her feeling limp and vulnerable as if she’d shattered. She’d been frightened the very first time by the physical and emotional response bombarding her all at once, but Maria hadn’t left her. She’d held her until she could move again and even after. She hadn’t left her at all and was still there when she awoke the next morning. Since then she’d been addicted to Maria, not only to the fact that she could make her feel after so many years and sexual encounters of feeling nothing at all, but also that she could make Maria come apart as well.  

Thrusting harder as Maria ground down, she felt Maria tighten as she kissed that spot above her breast. She shook faintly along with the rest of her, while maintaining their vice like grip around Natasha’s fingers. Natasha eased them to the floor as Maria panted against her neck where her arms were looped. Kissing Maria’s temple, she tasted the sweat that was plastering the brunette’s hair down. Still, she looked beautiful to Natasha.  

Maria’s ability to process thoughts was coming back to her, and yet again the same thought struck her. She couldn’t believe this beautiful being wanted her. Of everyone, make or female, she would have thought Natasha was interested in she could have given you a list and her name would be no where on it. But after she returned to her door for the fifth time, Maria was finally convinced it wasn’t a fluke.  

Natasha didn’t treat her as some breakable glass thing but also didn’t go and use every sexual stunt she knew and used on marks. To a certain extent, Maria watched the spy truly discover sex for the first time and it made her feel honored for a moment before breaking her heart. But Natasha went and did things that made her feel cherished. Things that no one but Sharon or her brother Kevin had ever taken the time to do. Showing up and having a change of clothes ready so that she could indulge in one of her little pleasures of walking in the rain. Hopping down off the cement wall as she exits the court house with two hot chocolates and a still warm danish in her jacket pocket, and not having spilled a drop. How she knew when she’d be out or how bad she’d need the pick me up was still a mystery to her, her mask having been firmly in place all day.  

The sex was fantastic without question, but more than anything she loved having someone to lean on. Smiling into Natasha’s shoulder slightly, she supposed it was why she found walks in the rain soothing. She’d gone so long in life without an umbrella or having it get broken or blown away from her that after a while the rain just didn’t bother her anymore. Now it just felt like it was washing everything thing away. At least until you got back to the office and your shoes made squishing sounds they were so wet. Natasha was the first person in her life to literally and figuratively show up with an umbrella without being asked or walk in the rain with her.  

It felt different. Everything did. Even now when she was just alone with her thoughts, she wasn’t. She had Natasha’s heartbeat under her ear and her arms around her. She still couldn’t fight of the shiver of cold though. Getting up and extending her hand, she and Natasha moved to the bedroom where they would curl up together until they got hungry.  


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blackhill - Maria comes home from a long and exhausting day at work where she finds Natasha lying on their couch watching TV. Natasha tells Maria to come lie down with her and have Maria tell (complain) to Natasha about her day. Maria does so and because she is so tired falls asleep right in the middle of it. Natasha just smiles, grabs a blanket and joins her girlfriend in sleep.

"Thor save me from idiots with political power." Maria slumps against the door to close it. Natasha looks up from her position on the couch. Maria has always made an effort to look her best. HYDRA had taken her tactical suit from her and now she had these suits to wear instead. Her appearance was now more important than ever since she was the face of SHIELD in front of cameras and papers.  

Natasha opened her arms and muted the TV. Maria curled up and told her about the cameras that never stopped rolling and never stopped flashing the whole time she was assaulted with endless questions. How even when they’d breached for lunch and she’d left the courthouse for some peace, the reporters were waiting with even more questions. How once again, she could practically feel her deodorant breaking down and couldn’t take off her jacket all morning. She’d had Sharon bring her two spare shirts from her office and then showered at a nearby gym before going back, only having time for a quick hotdog for lunch.  

Natasha is holding her close and Maria is clutching at her shirt. Natasha can’t help but smile as Maria’s voice turns to mumbling and then nothing. She can later tell that she’s in a sound sleep by the small puddle of drool forming on her shirt, but she doesn’t mind.  

Of everyone, Maria deserves a rest. Her anti wrinkle shirts haven’t been able to hold up to the strain she’s put them through but she continues to wear them because her other shirts only fair worse. Natasha tries to make things easier. She used to send Maria texts when they took breaks and meet her places, but Maria would always break down into tears. She’d explain that it wasn’t Natasha’s fault. If Talbot had his way, he’d lock Natasha up in some black site cell and she was all that was keeping Maria together. That day she’d let air out of the man’s tires. And his little private military entourage’s tires too.  

For now she’d be here for Maria. Next week though they’d both be somewhere else on a company ordered vacation due to job related stress and if Talbot had a problem with that he could shove it. Especially, since Clint gave his word that either he or Tony (which ever one of them wasn’t shooting) would be recording the explosion of Talbot’s car.

It was to make a point you see.

Perfectly justified.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria comes home from a long and exhausting day at work where she finds Natasha lying on their couch watching TV. Natasha tells Maria to come lie down with her and have Maria tell (complain) to Natasha about her day. Maria does so and because she is so tired falls asleep right in the middle of it. Natasha just smiles, grabs a blanket and joins her girlfriend in sleep.

"Thor save me from idiots with political power." Maria slumps against the door to close it. Natasha looks up from her position on the couch. Maria has always made an effort to look her best. HYDRA had taken her tactical suit from her and now she had these suits to wear instead. Her appearance was now more important than ever since she was the face of SHIELD in front of cameras and papers.  

Natasha opened her arms and muted the TV. Maria curled up and told her about the cameras that never stopped rolling and never stopped flashing the whole time she was assaulted with endless questions. How even when they’d breached for lunch and she’d left the courthouse for some peace, the reporters were waiting with even more questions. How once again, she could practically feel her deodorant breaking down and couldn’t take off her jacket all morning. She’d had Sharon bring her two spare shirts from her office and then showered at a nearby gym before going back, only having time for a quick hotdog for lunch.  

Natasha is holding her close and Maria is clutching at her shirt. Natasha can’t help but smile as Maria’s voice turns to mumbling and then nothing. She can later tell that she’s in a sound sleep by the small puddle of drool forming on her shirt, but she doesn’t mind.  

Of everyone, Maria deserves a rest. Her anti wrinkle shirts haven’t been able to hold up to the strain she’s put them through but she continues to wear them because her other shirts only fair worse. Natasha tries to make things easier. She used to send Maria texts when they took breaks and meet her places, but Maria would always break down into tears. She’d explain that it wasn’t Natasha’s fault. If Talbot had his way, he’d lock Natasha up in some black site cell and she was all that was keeping Maria together. That day she’d let air out of the man’s tires. And his little private military entourage’s tires too.  

For now she’d be here for Maria. Next week though they’d both be somewhere else on a company ordered vacation due to job related stress and if Talbot had a problem with that he could shove it. Especially, since Clint gave his word that either he or Tony (which ever one of them wasn’t shooting) would be recording the explosion of Talbot’s car.

It was to make a point you see.

Perfectly justified.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the 100th Congress hearing, Maria wishes she can crawl into whatever hole the CIA wants to put her in. She wants to be able to disappear like Natasha did, but then who would be protecting all of them from the government and other groups like HYDRA?

Maria Hill wants her Helicarrier or at least her touch screen consoles and her tablet just doesn’t cut it, even it is from Stark Industries. There are a million eyes on her and she’s become the face of SHEILD because there is no one else. Fury has vanished and believed dead, Steve Rogers- the man with actual experience in this area- has left as well to search for a friend who will recognize him and may not kill him-, Stark was doing what he could but short of blowing something up or starting a disaster the attention remained on her. Banner was doing the decent thing and staying away. If anything would make him angry, it would be all this. No one had heard from Barton since before Cap had escaped from Pierce. Natasha had vanished as well. Maria knew she wasn’t much of a people person, that had always been more of Phil’s gift, but like Fury, everyone believed him dead.  

What word she did get from Coulson, she wished she’d never heard. All their talent was being taken and either killed or brainwashed. It was a future that was built from what Natasha had told her of her past. History was repeating itself, as it always did. But it had been there from the beginning. Since Aunt Peggy and Howard Stark had first helped form SHIELD. HYDRA had been hidden and lurking among them even then. So really what chance did Maria stand against them alone? And not just them, the protesters too. There were as many protesters as there were for any great cause, more even since no one had known about SHIELD. There were so many that thought they were as bad as HYDRA or worse, were to blame for how HYDRA’s unstable creations were popping up. Maria was shouted at in the streets and would be attacked by groups and individuals, had she not already proved herself against the various assassins sent after her.  

Reaching her apartment, she wondered if she should just let them have her. She’d slept on the cold ground before, an uncomfortable cot would be nice and she’d get three meals a day. Now she got one if she remembered and the other two if she had time or wasn’t too tired. She was almost too tired to go for her gun as she realized that someone was in her home.  

"You’re getting slow, Maria."  

 _Natasha_.  

"Well I knew you were either a friendly or really sadistic and wanted to draw out the kill, otherwise I’d be dead already" says Maria as she sets down her gun with a heavy *clunk*. Natasha was already concerned but it grows as she watches her friend literally wobble where she stands. Scooping her up, she carries her to her bedroom without protest, which worries the spy even more. She leaves Maria on her bed to change into her sleep wear and goes to get her something light to eat. Coming back, Maria is wearing an oversized shirt with Godzilla on the front proclaiming " _King of the Monsters_ " but it looks like changing has spent all her energy. Natasha hands her the plate of fruit and cheese and changes into her own large shirt which has a comic cartoon version of Iron Man and Hawkeye playing catch with Cap and Thor but being knocked out by their hammer and shield. Natasha comes back from the bathroom and takes the plate back to the kitchen while Maria takes her turn and is struck by how domestic all of this is. She knows they’ll talk in the morning. Or afternoon or evening, depending on how much sleep Maria needs to catch up on.  

For now though, Natasha is content to let Maria curl up into her chest and wrap her arms around her. Maria looks like she could use a hug, and it’s been a while since she’s had one too.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria and Natasha decide to get married because of how unpredictable their lives are they might not get a chance to do so later in the future. So they have a small wedding with just the Avengers, Sharon, Pepper, and Phil's team in attendance. Natasha keeps telling herself she's not going to cry when Maria says her vows but starts to instantly when Maria says them and vice-versa. For both of them it is the best day of their lives.

As touching as the ceremony had been, it would have to be kept secret along with the fact that Fury and Coulson were alive. Granted anyone trying to use one against the other wouldn’t live very long, but it was a very real fear of Natasha’s given Red Room’s reputation and eagerness to get her back. It would also be the thing to break her. But she’d never regret this day and saying her vows. Her vows that Jane had sat with her while she’d come up with them.  

It had involved a lot of muttering and scribbling, and Jane never got to read anything that was written or discarded. Her job was to be supportive and make sure the crumpled ones wound up in the fire pit. She’d sat up with her the whole night and into the morning while she’d struggled. While Natasha had developed leg cramps from all her pacing, Jane didn’t complain about having work she could be doing or anything else while Natasha realized that when it came to Maria, her brain sort of shut down.  

Maria had had a similar time but was sprawled on a conference table and throwing pencils at the ceiling tiles. At least that’s how Sharon found her. When Sharon got no where, she went and got Pepper and eventually, they were able to drag Maria off the table and into Pepper’s office. Maria had been stuck for the past three hours and had come to the decision that she’d say that Natasha was simply indescribable. Pepper commented that Natasha might feel a little hurt by that. Little did she know that of the twelve note pads Darcy had bought for Natasha, only five remained. Seeing Maria getting ready to launch another pencil, Sharon snatched it away and removed the others from her jacket pockets.  

Through various forms of ward association and recounting memories, the vows were written, and revealed ways that they’d been there for each other that they hadn’t thought about in forever or really realized and shocked their friends. Pepper and Sharon knew the two deeply loved each other, but had no idea how much support Natasha offered or how Maria had helped the Avenger discover who she was besides an asset.  

Watching the two dance was magical. Not in a Disney sense, but in a sense that they use to see in their work. Almost other worldly. The grace and poise and elegance. It reminds Thor of something one would see on Asgard, except these two have never been. The others might as well not exist the newly weds are so wrapped up in each other. When the song comes to an end, the others clap the their smiles are breath taking. They deserve true happiness and the others are glad to see that they’ve found it.  

It’s more than even just a simple wedding. For younger members like Leo, Jemma, and Skye, it’s a chance to see that there’s a future beyond the constant fighting. That there is happiness to be found.  

For Fury, it’s a chance to see his two girls, both that he’s watched over carefully and seen grow into magnificent women, have their dream become reality. He’d watched them develop feelings for each other. He’d nearly bashed his head in and taken to the loud speaker as they were unsure that those feelings were shared. When they’d started dating, he’d been relieved but when it moved past that he pointedly ignored anything happening between them that wasn’t related to the job. Natasha had asked him to walk her down the aisle though and he’d been honored. Maria had been escorted by Sharon’s brother. When they reached the end, Natasha had trouble letting go and finally did with a shaky hand. It was a very big day for her. He couldn’t be prouder of his two beautiful girls.  

For Maria and Natasha it’s merely a continuation but under the shared surname Romanov-Hill. They’d done so much together but now they have shared that happiness with those closest to them. Even if they hadn’t, it just means that in their own way, they’ve announced to the world that you don’t just get one of them, you get both.  

So choose your battles and who they're with, carefully.


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Wait! That's not the right place to put it!"

"Will you relax, Hill? This isn’t an Indiana Jones movie. No one’s going to die if it’s not in exactly the right place" say an exhausted Natasha. Her wounds have just scabbed over to the point where she thought it would be safe for her to take a shower and not bleed all over the place.  

* * *

Natasha was sitting on the couch in Maria’s office when she saw Fury stomp by. Two minutes later she saw him stomp back the other way.  

“ _Where is that retrieved intel case? The one I sent two of my best operatives on? **Please** tell me they didn’t risk their lives bringing it all the way back here **only** to have it be misplaced once it had arrived at the one place it should be safest! NOW. **WHERE. IS. IT?**_ " bellowed Fury at all the agents outside.  

Maria and Natasha shared a look that involved Natasha giving her a weak smile and resulted in Maria letting her head hit her desk.  

The next day the hard sided case turned up on Fury’s desk. He assumed whatever agent had screwed up had placed it there hoping to avoid any embarrassment.

He wasn’t too far off.

Maria and Natasha had spent all night going through the item recovery room. They’re currently curled up on the couch in Maria’s office sleeping, having just found the case forty-five minutes ago.


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria used to have a pixie cut, then it grew out (it takes too many cuts to maintain / natasha likes her better with longer hair so she can pull on it).

Maria is growing her hair out again and Natasha is acting like it’s Christmas come early. She’d gotten the pixie cut more out of a necessity since the blade had come dangerously close to her neck, but only her hair had suffered. Maintaining the cut had been a pain so she was all for growing it back out. The shorter cut had helped disguise her in crowds a bit. Now that SHIELD was gone her old photo was on every new report and article. Not resembling her old ID photo was a bonus when it came to avoiding the nasty comments and stares.  

For some reason, Natasha acted as if she’d just been told she could have her own personal Quinjet. Actually, Maria wasn’t entirely certain her lover hadn’t stolen one at some point and stashed it away somewhere.  

She knew Natasha like to pull at her hair during sex, but the Russian had always had a certain fondness for her hair. When she’d come back from that mission with it cut off, Natasha had seemed slightly more concerned over her hair than say, her broken ribs. But when Natasha was upset, she would find Maria and run her hand through Maria’s hair and for some reason that made her feel better. Depending on the type of day, sometimes it just made Maria sleepy but she was willing to down energy drinks if her hair calmed her lover’s homicidal mood.  

Still, she’d told Natasha she was going to grow it out again five minutes ago and she was still sitting here staring at her. Was she planning to watch it grow??


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maria has bad allergies, meaning she'll cry if there are flowers in front of her.

Natasha comes in to find Maria crying. Natasha doesn’t know what to do with crying people and normally doesn’t care, but the sight of Maria with tears pouring down her face made her want to fix it. She was about to ask what she could do when Maria put her hand up to stop her. She then motioned to the flowers. Mums and daisies. Looking at the card she spotted Steve’s signature. She really didn’t care what the note itself said, once she spotted his name, she just saw red. She was brought back by a sniffle from Maria.  

"The flowers. Get rid of them. I don’t care if they’re from the Queen, they’re causing my allergies to try and kill me. My eyes won’t stop tearing and my nose keeps running. I can’t get anything done without having my nose leak all over them." Well that helped settle Natasha down. She hadn’t even looked at the things. Still, Natasha opted to return them to sender.  

Dumping them on Steve’s head seemed to do the trick.  

"What the hell, Nat? I sent those to Maria! We were talking about farms and our homes earlier. I thought—"  

"You’d send flowers to my girlfriend?"  

"Your… what?" Steve looks taken aback. Something in his expression looks like he’s lost his dream. More than one. Well, she and Maria were never pin up girls and Peggy was more of a Rosie the Riveter than the kind he may be thinking of. And if he’d been imagining Sharon in that way, it was better that she’d disappeared on a mission because he’d just gotten himself into a whole mess of trouble.  

She understood male lust, she used it to her advantage often enough. But just like no one hit on Pepper, she wanted the same respect given to Maria. Now that Steve knew the probably would (after a long series of embarrassing apologies to Maria that Natasha would later be blamed for).  

When Natasha returned to Maria’s office it was with a bottle of generic claritan for her allergies. Within twenty minutes her symptoms were gone and hopefully by the next time they saw Steve again, so would his focus on her girl.  


End file.
